I am aghast at the front-page article in the recent Sunday News detailing yet another 100 million dollar profit for Lancaster General Hospital during the recent financial year. And the gall of the Lancaster Newspapers to paint poor Lancaster General as their profit margin was less 23 million dollars from the previous year.
First off, I am insulted that the Lancaster Newspapers would focus their article on the donations that this non-profit entity has provided to our county. It is an absolute disgrace that the only source of news print in this county has framed Lancaster General as all-giving — it is an out-right lie.
With LGH’s profitability of greater than 100 million dollars, the sum total donations amounts to less than 1%. In this God-fearing county and with many of the citizens tithing 10% of their respective incomes, LGH is not demonstrating their altruism. In fact, I would suggest that Lancaster General is actually acting quite obsequiously in that the paucity of their sum total donation is actually an example of being kind for a personal gain.
And the “kiss ass” approach of the newspapers does not end with the Sunday News. Our mayor could not compliment Lancaster General more. Now, I like Rick Gray and I think he is doing a fine job as our mayor. But Mr. Mayor, please envision what projects could be achieved with an additional 10-25 million dollars from your county’s biggest employer.
It is apparent to me that now is the time for our county to demand an alternate news source. And that news source is NewsLanc.com – a publication that is truly alternative to one of the members of the ‘Big Five’ of this county. And just to refresh your memory, the members of the ‘Big Five’ are the Lancaster Newspapers, Franklin & Marshall (don’t even get me started on President John Fry), Fulton Bank, The High Group (with their pockets completely bulged out from the Convention Center melee) and our county’s largest employer and the entity with the most resistant Teflon, Lancaster General Hospital.
I had also read that Lancaster General Hospital is changing their all-too-familiar logo of the two adjoining hands. I would suggest Lancaster General Hospital change their logo to two hands in their own pocket clutching their profits (with a watchful Mayor Rick Gray looking eagerly for another <1% crumb). Really, the LGH donations (for lack of a better word) is just an embarrassment.
